Most people's idea of a Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony comes from the hit movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Of course the traditions and the ceremony are far deeper than was shown on the big screen. The faith of the Greek Orthodoxy is very old and the wedding ceremony is a beautiful event in the life of the bride and groom.
One thing that should be realized is that the Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony is filled with symbolism. The wedding ceremony you see today is the same ceremony that has been practiced by the Greek Orthodoxy for hundreds of years. The biggest difference in a Greek ceremony and a traditional wedding ceremony is that the bride and groom don't exchange vows. Their mere presence in the church together shows that they have taken the sacrament of marriage very seriously.
The Start of the Wedding
Most Greek Orthodox weddings take place in the summer. It is typical for the guests at the wedding to wait along with the groom outside until the arrival of the bride. In Greece, it is common practice for wedding ceremonies to be scheduled back to back. This allows guests who are waiting to attend a ceremony to mingle with the guests departing from the wedding previously.
The groom awaits his bride with a bit of sweat on his brow as he holds the bouquet he will present to his intended. Once he turns over the bouquet to the bride, they then enter the church and the guests follow behind. Unlike conventional western weddings, there is no separation of the guests as to who sits on the side of the bride and who will be seated on the groom's side. Everyone sits wherever they can find a seat and when the ceremony is held in small venues, there are those who prefer to stand where they can have a first-rate view of the event.
The Betrothal and the Ceremony
There are two parts to the ceremony of a Greek Orthodox wedding. The first part is called the Service of Betrothal. The marrying couple exchanges their rings as the focal point of the Service of the Betrothal. The next part is the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. This part of the service has several aspects such as prayers and the joining of the right hands of both the bride and groom by the attending priest. Their hands will remain entwined for the rest of the ceremony to symbolize the newly wedded couple's union.
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